Above indicates proximity to
Doumar's Cones

We can't apologize for placing our logo on these images --theft of copyrighted images, text etc. is rampant.
We've been printed/sold in a book without permission; there is a USN vessel site using our original graphics (while the webmaster claims a copyright!); one "fan" at MySpace.com is literally copying entire Tour pages!
And of course, blogs continually source our images usurping our bandwidth.
Understand, these images are dear to our contributor but priceless to the rest of us-- so play nice!

-----Original Message-----
From: Kotaro Sumii
Sent: Saturday, October 21, 2006 10:41 PM
To: 'R K Puma'
Subject: RE: Ocean View Park & Sumii family

Dear Roberta, Here’s what I heard from my mom. Those who had shops in OV Park had "seasons free pass" to enter Kiddieland. So, she rode on the carousel and rides, every day. The place was a heaven for her. As written:  Long's Portrait Studio (was) at the Kiddie Land section of the park. She is sure that was not Crawford Studio (because) Long’s daughter played with my mom. I did not ask if she knows Albert Doumar at this time. My mother’s name was Noriko Sumii. I am adopted to my grandparents. So I am Sumii, too.

[In subsequent emails, Kotoro added the following selected exerpts]

Your kind research moved me and uncovered many new treasures sleeping in my closet. From now on, I am sending many photos scanned. They can become a new OV Nickel Tour page. I will give you publication right.

The Pavilion image indicates Ingleman’s souvenir bazaar, and not Ocean View souvenir bazaar. So, my idea is that my grandfather bought the shop from Ingleman. And that photo was taken before that, maybe in early 1920s’. (Compare the Pavilion Image with http://shotei.com/publishers/shima/images/06.jpg

Best, Kotaro Sumii  
Hiroshima, Japan
Want more recollections of Noriko Sumii as told to her son, Kotaro?

More Sumii Family in OV photos

In August of 1933, a weather disturbance arose just east of the Windward Islands, off Cape Verde. By Aug. 18th, it was 900 miles east of Puerto Rico as a tropical storm, moving within 150 miles of Bermuda as a hurricane. It turned West/NW at a slower speed, passing east of Cape Hatteras. Rough surf conditions developed near Ocean View during the afternoon of the 22nd; on the 23rd by 9 am, the center passed over Norfolk, where the pressure fell to 28.68". Some of the lowest pressures ever measured in Virginia occurred : the lowest pressure of 28.68" occurred at 9:20 a.m.. This was the first time a hurricane eye passed over Norfolk-- since the great hurricane of September 3, 1821.

The '33 storm had grown substantially before landfall: with maximum winds blowing into the Chesapeake Bay *, causing a huge tidal surge. The record surge was at high tide-- 9.8 feet above Mean Low Low Water (8.0 ft MSL); and at Sewells Point, 9.0 ft.  The "granddaddy all hurricanes" caused record damages as the highest ever recorded. It caused 18 deaths and millions in damages for Virginia; 15 lives were lost in "Tidewater" (aka Hampton Roads). Downtown was flooded --stores on Granby from the Atlantic Hotel to Tazewell, the water was 4 feet deep on the street floors of businesses, damaging merchandise, fixtures, and structures. Windows crashed, signs and fixtures tossed and tore, becoming deadly projectiles; tall trees tumbled, carrying off power and phone lines (electrocution figured into at least 3 deaths): nearly 700 trees, were uprooted, gardens and parks including Ocean View's resort area were greatly damaged.

Tidewater was "at sea" with loss of communication, electricity, and water service. Traffic factored in, although trolleys were the mode of the day, since buses hadn't replaced them until the late 40's. The storm also interrupted ferry traffic.The storm wreaked havoc in Ocean View, and low-lying Willoughby Spit, where water reached cottage roofs-- 141 were destroyed.

The devastation so great, that it prompted the Doumars (the most stout-hearted of men) to relocate.

* Power Point Viewer™ required to view Chesapeake Bay presentation.